In the field of orthopedic surgery, a number of devices, systems and methods known for correcting bone breaks of varying severity. For breaks of relatively low severity in the long bones (e.g. femur, tibia, fibula, radius, ulna, humerus), manual setting or perhaps an inserted screw with an external cast may be used. As the severity increases, it is known to place a series of internal or external screws to hold bone pieces in place while healing occurs. For some injuries to the long bones, or for correction of problems due to disease or other agents, it is known to open a passage to the medullary canal, remove material from the canal, and place an elongated support within the canal. The elongate support is commonly referred to as an intramedullary nail.
Existing intramedullary nails were developed and are manufactured for use in adult patients. If a surgeon believes that use of an intramedullary nail is indicated in treating a child, he or she is faced with the decision either to use a nail intended for a very small adult, or to cut down an available device as best he or she can to fit the particular case. In some cases, of course, the lack of an intramedullary nail intended for a child will make that treatment option unavailable.
The inventor of the present disclosure has realized that when it comes to orthopedic treatment and particularly surgery, children are not merely small adults. Because of their particular physiological attributes, especially ongoing physical growth, a child's bones have different characteristics and a child's body generally reacts to trauma, deformity and other problems in a somewhat different fashion compared to the body of an adult. These special characteristics of a child mean that implants and methods of implantation intended for adults, the development and creation of which occurred without consideration for the growth physiology and other special attributes of a child, frequently are not only unsuited to pediatric use, but in some cases introduce other difficulties to healing or the overall development of the child.
Intramedullary nails inserted into the femur, as an example, are generally inserted through the greater trochanter of the femur in adult patients. However, in a child's growing femur, the greater trochanter is the location of important blood vessels, and the angle between the head of the femur and the diaphysis is slightly larger than in adult femurs. Damage to those blood vessels may result in avascular necrosis of bone tissue and slowed or limited growth of the bone. There remains a need for an intramedullary nail that is specially adapted to be used in pediatric situations, which adequately provides support and assistance in healing a long bone but also avoids problems unique to children.